


Embers

by hufflepuffgrace



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Bisexual Female Character, Character Death, Coming Out, F/F, Friends to Lovers, LGBTQ Character, LGBTQ Character of Color, LGBTQ Female Character, Lesbian Character, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Temporarily Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:49:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29256237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hufflepuffgrace/pseuds/hufflepuffgrace
Summary: Parvati Patil has loved Lavender Brown since the moment she first laid eyes on her, but she didn't expect their time together to be so short. All that remains of Lavender is embers.Lots of pining, self-discovery, and love.Canon compliant; years 4-7This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter series, which is trademarked by J.K. Rowling. The characters created by JKR that are included in this work do not belong to me.
Relationships: Lavender Brown/Parvati Patil, Lavender Brown/Ron Weasley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

Parvati had never wanted to disappear more in her life. Her stomach erupted with butterflies, and her cheeks flushed. She couldn't tear her eyes away from her friend as she stood, nervously awaiting Parvati's input.

"Well, don't just stare! What do you think?"

Parvati cleared her throat. "You look stunning, Lav. Obviously."

Lavender squealed, turning and surveying herself in the full-length mirror. Her dress was steel blue with white flowers decorating the bodice and bottom of the tulle skirt. It contrasted beautifully with her brown skin, which now glimmered under the influence of some beauty spell she had cast.

Lavender twirled, faint sparkles in her dress catching the light, and the straps, which tied on her shoulders, slipped down her arms.

"Oops. Ti, I can't get these to stay. Could you tie them for me?"

Wordlessly, Parvati stood, holding her breath as she reached for the straps. She tried her best not to touch Lavender's skin, but her fingertips brushed her soft shoulder as she tied the bow.

"Turn," Parvati murmured, and Lavender obliged with a wide smile.

"Can I do your hair?" Lavender asked as Parvati tied her other strap.

"Of course. Do you really think I would trust anyone else with it?"

"And your makeup?" Lavender asked, spinning around to face her and grabbing her hand.

Parvati smiled. "You didn't even have to ask. You're a thousand times better at makeup than me."

Within a few minutes, Parvati was sitting on the floor beside Lavender's bed, listening to Lavender as she rifled through a bag of hair products.

"I was thinking that we could do, like, a half-updo? And a few braids, if possible?"

"That sounds perfect." Lavender dropped her feet onto the ground on either side of Parvati. "Your hair's so _long_!"

Parvati's ears grew hot as Lavender cupped either side of her face and tilted her head back.

"Where are your robes?"

"Erm, they're hanging on the door."

Parvati found it hard to breathe as Lavender's warm fingers brushed her temples, pulling her hair away from her face. Her scalp tingled and her heart raced, but she leaned back onto the bed and closed her eyes as Lavender got to work.

Parvati, without looking, flicked her wand so the radio turned on, and listened with a smile as Lavender sang along to a song she didn't recognize.

"I'm so glad Hermione introduced me to Muggle music. I was getting bored of The Weird Sisters."

Parvati laughed as Padma and Hermione entered their dorm, thankful for the distraction.

"How much longer, Lavender?" Padma asked, sitting on the bed in front of Parvati.

"Twenty minutes. You look nice, Padma," Lavender said. "When are you gonna get ready, Hermione?"

Hermione shrugged, a secret smile on her lips. "In a few minutes. It won't take long; I'm not doing much. I love your robes, by the way."

Padma beamed. "My mum made them. Parvati's are pink."

"My favorite." Lavender turned Parvati's head, humming as she tied off her final braid. "You have the prettiest hair."

Parvati's cheeks burned as Lavender hopped off the bed and tugged her onto her feet. "I know I do."

Lavender laughed. "Makeup."

Parvati eagerly sat down, watching as Lavender laid out a few different products. Lavender quickly got to work, and by the time she had finally released Parvati, she was breathless and more than ready for a moment by herself.

"I'll meet you in the entrance hall, Parvati," Padma said, brushing her hand against Parvati's as she left the room.

"Right. Well, I'm gonna get dressed in the washroom."

"Boo, you prude. I wanna see your robes!" Lavender skipped toward the door and reached for the clothing bag, but Parvati was quicker. She threw it over her elbow and raced out the room, laughing as Lavender huffed and slammed the door.

She tugged on her robes in a daze, and when she finally looked in the mirror, she froze in shock at her appearance. Lavender had kept her makeup surprisingly natural, and she felt oddly comfortable as she donned on her gold bracelets and earrings.

"Oh, Ti," Lavender murmured when she returned, and Parvati's face split with a wide grin.

"How do I look?"

"Lovely." Lavender squealed and pulled Parvati in for a hug. "Bloody hell, Ti, do you have to be so perfect?"

Parvati rolled her eyes and grabbed her wand. "See you in a few minutes."

She was grateful for the moment alone as she walked to the common room. Her mind was much clearer away from the smell of thick perfumes and cheap makeup.

She allowed herself to hope that maybe, just maybe, she would feel _something_. Harry was kind and funny and... attractive, she supposed. She would be dancing with him in front of the whole school. Surely, that was romantic.

Harry didn't like her in that sense, and she was quite thankful for that. His eyes were often glued to Cho and Cedric — so much so that Parvati wasn't sure which one he fancied.

"You — er — look nice," Harry said awkwardly as she met him and Ron.

"Thanks," Parvati replied, secretly thinking she looked much better than _nice_. "Padma's going to meet you in the entrance hall," she informed Ron.

"Right." Ron looked around the room, his brows furrowing. "Where's Hermione?"

Parvati shrugged. "Shall we go down then, Harry?"

"Okay."

Parvati ignored one of the Weasley twins as he winked at Harry, and followed him silently to the entrance hall.

There were students everywhere, loud laughter floating through the room and glittery dresses shimmering in the candlelight. Parvati stared at the doors to the Great Hall expectantly, accidentally catching the eye of her sister. In an instant, she raced through the crowd and grabbed Padma's hand, then pulled her over to Ron and Harry.

"Hi," Padma greeted, running a hand nervously down her turquoise robes. She stared at the frayed edges of Ron's robes, and Parvati tugged on her sleeve, giving a look that she hoped told her twin to be polite.

"Hi," Ron replied absently, peering at the crowd gathering around them. "Oh no...." He ducked down behind Harry to hide from Fleur, and Padma pursed her lips to conceal her laughter. "Where _is_ Hermione?"

As everyone filed into the entrance room, Parvati glanced around the room, searching for Lavender. She tried to swallow her disappointment when she realized that her friend hadn't left the common room, but her glumness was short-lived.

"Champions over here, please!" Professor McGonagall called out.

Parvati beamed. "See you in a minute," she said to Ron and Padma, then slipped her hand into the crook of Harry's elbow and led them through the crowd. She had been looking forward to dancing the most since Harry had asked her to the ball, and her veins hummed with anticipation.

Parvati looked around at her fellow champions, admiring Fleur Delcour's silvery hair, but when her gaze fell on the girl next to Viktor Krum, her jaw dropped.

Hermione had transformed in a matter of minutes. She looked completely different than she had when she'd left their dorm.

"Hi, Harry! Hi, Parvati!" Hermione beamed at them, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Parvati felt Harry's eyes on her, but she just surveyed Hermione, shock evident on her face.

Once everyone had sat down, Parvati continued through the night in a daze. Her head spun with excitement at the many eyes on her as Harry led her to their seats, sliding into the chair beside someone she vaguely recognized as Percy Weasley. The conversations around her were awfully boring, although Harry seemed to enjoy them. She propped her chin on the heel of her palm, looking around at the extravagant decorations.

After she finished eating, Parvati allowed herself to glance at the table where Lavender and Padma sat, and frowned when she found Lavender staring at Seamus. Shaking her head, she sat forward, watching as the Weird Sisters trooped up onto the stage.

She stood, and when Harry stayed planted in his seat, she hissed, "Come on! We're supposed to dance!"

He tripped as he stood, and Parvati pulled him onto the dance floor. He was truly an awful dancer, so she kept it simple, her gaze firmly planted on his dress robes. Soon, their peers joined, and Parvati found it easier to relax when there were no longer so many eyes on Harry's dreadful dancing.

"Nice socks, Potter," Professor Moody growled as he passed the pair.

"Oh — yeah, Dobby the house-elf knitted them for me," Harry replied, grinning, and Parvati went rigid, surveying Professor Moody suspiciously.

"He is so _creepy_!" Parvati whispered to Harry as he clunked away. "I don't think that eye should be _allowed _!"__

____

The Weird Sisters began to play a song Parvati quite liked, and she frowned when Harry released her.

____

"Let's sit down, shall we?" Harry asked.

____

"Oh — but — this is a really good one!" Parvati complained.

____

"No, I don't like it," Harry replied, and although she could tell he was lying, Parvati grudgingly followed Harry to Ron's side.

____

"How's it going?" Harry asked Ron, and Parvati zoned out, playing with the hems of her sleeves.

____

"Will you dance with me?" a boy with a heavy French accent asked Parvati, and she whipped her head up, a grin splitting across her face.

____

"You don't mind, do you, Harry?" she asked.

____

"What?"

____

"Oh, nevermind," Parvati snapped, placing her hand in the boy's. She allowed him to pull her into the crowd, giggling when he held her waist.

____

"What's your name?" he asked, half-shouting over the loud students surrounding them.

____

"Parvati! You?"

____

"Henri!"

____

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Henri!"

____

He lifted her hand up and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "The pleasure is all mine!"

____

She giggled and shifted closer to him, closing her eyes and losing herself to the music.

____

They must have danced for hours. She was tired to the bone but had never felt more alive in her life, and when Lavender and Padma came to join her, she swore she could take on the world. Henri brought a friend over to dance with Padma, and Lavender didn't even seem to mind dancing with two strangers. Henri got along quite well with Parvati's friend and sister, although he stuck close to her side, and his hand slowly shifted from her waist to her hip.

____

She didn't mind. Lavender's hair was a frizzy mess, her pale curls spilling out of her neat bun and down the nape of her neck. They stuck to her skin, which glimmered with sweat and the shimmer spell she had cast.

____

Henri yelled something about getting drinks, and Parvati nodded, not turning her head and grabbing both of Lavender's hands.

____

"Are you having fun?" she asked.

____

"This is the best night of my life!" Lavender shouted, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement.

____

Parvati laughed and wrapped her arm around Lavender's shoulders, then pulled her sister into their embrace.

____

When Henri returned, he pulled Parvati closer to him than ever before, her back plastered against his front. Lavender's eyes widened, and she giggled, tugging Padma to her side.

____

"I think I see Seamus!"

____

Parvati paused as Lavender winked, squealing and pulling Padma through the crowd and away from her twin.

____

"Where are they going?" Henri asked, leaning down so his mouth was near her ear, and Parvati smiled.

____

"Lavender saw her... date."

____

The song switched to something slow, and Parvati turned in Henri's arms, her heart thumping loudly in her ears.

____

"Let's go somewhere quiet, yes?"

____

She nodded wordlessly, allowing him to lead her outside of the castle. They began to walk the grounds, her hand still in his.

____

"How old are you, Parvati?"

____

"15. My birthday's in October."

____

"I'm 17."

____

She blinked up at him, shrugging. "I — ."

____

"You may be the most beautiful girl I've ever seen," Henri interrupted, pausing mid-step.

____

Parvati stopped, scratching the back of her neck. "Thank you. That — ."

____

Without warning, his lips were on her's, and his hands were on her waist, pressing her body against his, and all she could think was, _oh no_. _Oh no_ , _oh no_ , _oh no_.

____

But he was gentle, and she quite liked the taste of Butterbeer on his lips. She would be damned if she let her first kiss go to waste.

____

She hadn't expected to _snog Henri_ , but she didn't mind as long as his hands stayed firmly on her sides. She soon looped her arms behind his neck and relaxed into his embrace, but when her mind wandered to Lavender, she gasped and broke away.

____

"Sorry," she whispered, closing her eyes and shaking her head. "I've never — I've never kissed someone before."

____

"Well, that wasn't so bad for a first try, was it?" Henri asked, and Parvati couldn't decide if she wanted to continue their kiss or slap him.

____

She chose the former.

____

When she returned to her dorm, her lips were red and puffy, and she repeatedly wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. She didn't know why, but her skin prickled where he had touched her.

____

She had wanted to kiss him — she was sure of it. But her mind was a tangle of perplexing emotions, ranging from joy to disgust, and she felt no less confused as she collapsed on her bed.

____

"Lav?" she asked, sitting up and staring at her friend's closed bed curtains.

____

"Yes?" Lavender said, her voice faint, and Parvati frowned, slipping out of bed.

____

"What's wrong?"

____

Lavender sniffled and peaked her head out of her bed curtains. "Seamus left the ball with some other girl."

____

Parvati frowned and slid into bed next to Lavender, surveying her friend. "Did you even like him?"

____

"Yes," Lavender said defensively, but her shoulders slumped. "No? I don't know."

____

"So why are you upset?" She reached up and tucked a stray curl behind Lavender's ear.

____

"He didn't want me," Lavender said, staring down at her hands in her lap. "I don't know why he didn't want me."

____

Parvati gently pulled a pin out of Lavender's hair, then another. "Sometimes people just don't want someone else. I think he was just looking to have fun, and he knows you deserve better than someone who would use you for a few weeks and then dump you."

____

It was a lie, one she felt guilty telling. But Parvati would lie a million times if it meant she got to see Lavender's lips curl up with a smile as she did then.

____

"You really think so?"

____

Parvati nodded, pulling the last pin out of Lavender's bun. Her curls fell past her shoulders, brushing against Parvati's arm in a way that made her pulse flutter.

____

"Thanks, Ti," Lavender murmured, tucking her face into the crook of Parvati's neck.

____

"Anything for you."

____

When Lavender fell asleep, Parvati returned to her own bed, her mind preoccupied as she changed into her pyjamas.

____

Was something missing? Parvati wondered. She'd never felt anything like the emotions Lavender described; the way Lavender talked about the boys she fancied was like a blazing fire, which always burned out just as quickly as it grew. Lavender could talk about them for days and never grow tired of them.

____

Parvati had never felt that. She'd waited and waited, hoping there would be something — even if it was just a spark compared to Lavender's flame — but the boys around her were still boring and ordinary. They never piqued her interest, even, in Henri's case, when they were snogging her.

____

Perhaps she was never meant to be with someone. She tried to imagine a future with a husband and children, but her mind stayed blank, buzzing with questions and confusion.

____

A future she _could_ imagine was one with Lavender and Padma. Perhaps she was meant to be the cool aunt who traveled the world and spoiled her nieces and nephews. Even then, though, unease settled in her stomach at the thought of living alone for the rest of her life.

____

It felt like hours before Parvati fell asleep as Hermione crept back into their dorm room, sniffling in the darkness. Privately, she wondered what the appeal of the Yule Ball was at all.

____

~

____

Parvati's veins hummed with excitement the next day, and she slipped out of bed, eager to see her friend and sister. Lavender _insisted_ on a play-by-play of her night with Henri, but there weren't very many details to give. Snogging him had been rather monotonous, although slightly thrilling at first, but Parvati deliberately steered the conversation away from the less exciting aspects of her night.

____

"Are you dating him now?" Lavender asked at breakfast, her eyes wide.

____

Parvati choked on her food. "What? I snogged him once, Lav. Besides, he goes to Beauxbaton. I'm not exactly keen on my first relationship being long distance."

____

Lavender smirked, shrugging and pushing her eggs around on her plate. "He seems to want more time with you."

____

"He does?" Parvati asked, looking around the Great Hall eagerly. Her eyes met Henri's, and she quickly dropped her gaze to her food, suddenly finding interest in her potato wedges. Lavender giggled and leaned into her side, whispering something that Parvati couldn't hear over the loud group of girls sitting a few feet away from her.

____

Mentally, she ran through what little she knew about boys. _They don't think things through, they don't understand fashion, they like when girls play hard-to-get..._

____

Hard to get. She could do that.

____

Parvati forced a sigh. "I think I'm gonna go to the dorm. I'm tired."

____

Lavender jumped up. "Excellent! I can give you your Christmas gift."

____

On the way to the Gryffindor common room, Lavender prattled about how amazing it was that Parvati was dating someone from _France_. Parvati listened, her own excitement growing as Lavender seriously overestimated her connection with Henri.

____

"I'm sorry I didn't give you this yesterday," Lavender said, grabbing Parvati's hand and pulling her into their dorm. She closed the door behind them. "Honestly, it took me so long to get ready for the ball and — ."

____

"It's okay, Lav. Better late than never, right?"

____

Lavender flashed her a grateful smile and pushed Parvati onto her bed, then reached under her pillow. In her hand was a neatly wrapped gift with a tag that read _Ti <3_.

____

Parvati carefully removed the tag and closed her eyes as she opened the gift. She could feel the mattress quivering with Lavender's excitement as she dropped the wrapping paper to the floor and opened her eyes.

____

"A... journal?" Parvati asked. She turned it in her hands, running her fingers along the pale blue cover.

____

"Not just any journal," Lavender said, her knee bobbing up and down as she reached into her bedside table. She pulled out a journal that was identical to the one in Parvati's hands, save for the color, which was pastel pink. Lavender handed her a quill with a pink feather. "Write something!"

____

Parvati opened the journal and wrote _hello_ in her neat script, and Lavender flipped to the same page in her journal and grinned as the words appeared on the parchment.

____

"Merlin!" Parvati looked up at Lavender with wide eyes, then wrote something else.

____

" _Hey_!" Lavender laughed as the words _Lav stinks_ showed up in her journal, then giggled. "Now we can talk about boys whenever we want and no one will know!"

____

Parvati nodded, closing her journal and tracing the gold lettering of her initials on the bottom right corner of the cover.

____

"Thank you, Lav. I love it." Parvati wrapped her arms around Lavender's middle, and her friend pulled her into a tight embrace, grinning widely.

____

"I'm so glad. I was really nervous, honestly. It's not as good as your gift."

____

Parvati had gotten Lavender an adjustable charm necklace. All Lavender had to do was tap each charm with her wand and say what she wished it to look like, and it would transform into whatever she wanted.

____

"No!" Parvati said quickly. "This is perfect. Now we can bother each other at any time of day."

____

Lavender laughed and pulled her quill from Parvati's hand. "We have to go meet Padma, as we promised. Are you ready?"

____

Parvati allowed Lavender to tug her off the bed and wound her fingers through hers, swallowing the confusing emotions bubbling in her chest at the feeling of Lavender's warm hand surrounding hers.

____


	2. Chapter 2

Lavender still didn’t seem to grasp that you could kiss someone without that meaning you were seeing each other, which led to a lot of misunderstandings — especially when Henri began to find Parvati after class and walk the grounds with her.

He never made a move to touch her again — in fact, he kept a respectful distance between them. She found she quite enjoyed his company, now that he was actually talking instead of kissing her. His life was hectic with nearly a dozen siblings, and he had so many funny stories that Parvati often laughed until she couldn’t breathe.

Lavender, of course, assumed she and Henri were snogging during their hours spent on the grounds. Lavender asked for as many details as she could give, and although Parvati wouldn’t admit it, she quite liked the slight boost in popularity her “relationship” with Henri was bringing her.

On the morning of New Year's Eve, Lavender laid in bed, holding her necklace in the air and tapping the charms with her wand. “Do you use your tongue?”

Parvati winced. “Lav. I don’t really want to talk about snogging anymore.”

Lavender sat up, her hair frizzy from sleep. “Why not? You do an awful lot of it.”

Parvati shrugged, slipping out of bed. “Should we wake up Rosalind? Breakfast starts in twenty minutes.”

Of course, with so many people at Hogwarts because of the Yule Ball, the Great Hall was filled with hundreds of loud students. Lavender pulled a gold ribbon off of one of the multiple Christmas trees and braided it into Parvati’s hair.

Neville, Dean, and Seamus sat with them, and Parvati listened to Neville ramble about Herbology. After she had defended him from Malfoy in their first year, they had formed something close to a friendship. He was quite easy to talk to, and she found his clumsiness endearing.

As they finished eating, the boys returned to the common room to play chess, and Henri used their absence to ask Parvati if he could attend Hogsmeade with her on the next visit. She agreed, ignoring Lavender’s incessant poking under the table until Henri returned to the Ravenclaw table.

“What, Lav?”

“You have a date! You’re going on a date!” Lavender beamed up at Parvati in disbelief.

“It’s not a date.”

“Ssshhh!” She put a finger against Parvati’s lips, looking around at her peers. “Don’t let anyone hear you say that.”

“Why?”

“Because of course it’s a date! You like him, and he seems to like you. You snog him all the time! _And_ , not only are you one of the prettiest girls in the whole school —” Parvati rolled her eyes “— but you’re going on a date with a _seventh year_! From _Beauxbaton_!”

Parvati frowned. “I’ve already been ‘dating’ him. I don’t see how this could change much.”

“Who else do you know that’s dating a fit seventh year at 15? Ti, this could make you the coolest girl in our year.”

“That’s if people even find out that he asked me,” Parvati said, a slow smile spreading across her face.

“Oh, they’ll find out,” Lavender said, raising her eyebrows. “If you don’t start telling people, I will.”

Parvati was nowhere near opposed to being the coolest girl in her year — in fact, she grew more excited for her weekend in Hogsmeade than ever before.

She told nearly every person she talked to. It was quite easy to slip into conversations, and their reactions ranged from excitement to jealousy. A few girls began asking her for tips with guys, and Parvati spoke in vague parables until they grew frustrated and left her alone. More people talked to her than ever before.

However, tensions mounted in Hogwarts as the holidays passed. Students grew increasingly eager for the next task, and their professors seemed much more cautious. It set Parvati on edge.

She spent more time with Henri, and soon he became a trusted confidant and knew nearly as much about her as Lavender and Padma. Neither of them made an advance toward each other, thankfully, and they grew into a comfortable friendship.

By the last week of February, anticipation hung so thick in the air it was nearly tangible. The second task was on the 24th, and Parvati didn’t like how pale Harry and his best friends had grown under the stress of researching in preparation of what was to come.

Her anxiety only increased when Hermione never returned to their dorm the night before the second task. Parvati sat up in bed, casting Lumos and opening her journal.

 _Lav?_ she wrote.

It was a long minute before Lavender replied. **_What’s wrong?_**

_Just worried. Hermione never came back_

Parvati could envision Lavender’s shrug. **_She’s probably fine. Maybe she and Ron are still helping Harry with the next task_**

_I guess. Why are you still awake?_

**_Dunno. This happens sometimes. There are some nights that I just can’t fall asleep_ **

Parvati frowned. _How come you never told me?_

 ** _It didn’t seem important._** A pause. **_And I didn’t want to keep you awake, too_**

_Lav, you don’t have to worry about that. From now on, if you can’t sleep, just write to me_

**_Thanks, Ti._ **

Parvati didn’t know how to reply, so she closed her eyes and tried to imagine how Lavender might be laying — or maybe she was sitting, like Parvati was. She pictured the messy bun Lavender put her hair in before going to bed and grinned.

Parvati looked down at the journal.

**_You might as well just get in bed with me so we could actually talk._ **

Her heart stuttered. _We shouldn’t wake up Rosalind._

Rosalind was the other Gryffindor girl in their year, although she spent most of her time in the Hufflepuff common room with her friends. She was quite kind, but she was a very light sleeper and did not take well to being woken up.

**_Fineeeee._** Lavender sighed, and Parvati smiled in the darkness at the sound. **_What do you think the second task will be?_**

****

_Can we not talk about the second task? We’ll be watching it in less than nine hours, anyway_

****

**_Alright. Well, what do you want to talk about?_ **

****

They wrote to each other nearly into the morning, muffled giggling the only sound in the dorm. Parvati’s wrist grew sore and her eyes drooped, but she didn’t let herself fall asleep until Lavender’s writing stopped appearing on the parchment.

****

When she rose to get ready for the day, Lavender was sitting on the edge of her bed, quivering with excitement.

****

“Let’s go, let’s go!” She tugged Parvati out of bed, her curls bouncing wildly, and within minutes, they were walking down to the Black Lake.

****

Once they found their seats next to Padma in the stands, Parvati realized that Hermione and Ron were nowhere to be seen, and she frowned, tapping Lavender on the arm.

****

“Hermione and Ron are gone, Lav. They wouldn’t skip the second task, would they?”

****

She had expected Lavender to share in her worry, but Lavender turned slightly pink, her lips pursed. “Maybe they’re together somewhere.”

****

“Maybe.” Parvati shook her head to clear her thoughts and watched as Harry raced to the table on the opposite side of the lake. He doubled over, his hands on his knees, and Bagman prepared to announce the task.

****

The stands went silent.

****

“Well, all our champions are ready for the second task,” Bagman said, his voice booming under the effects of the spell he had cast, “which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has taken from them. On the count of three, then. One...two... _three_!”

****

The crowd erupted with cheers and applause as the champions waded into the water. Cedric Diggory cast a spell that formed a bubble around his head and took off into the lake. Parvati hadn’t been paying attention as Viktor Krum transformed himself into only half of a shark, but he dove into the water anyway. Fleur Delacour used the same charm as Cedric, and Parvati watched as her long hair disappeared under the water.

****

“What is Harry _doing_?” Lavender asked shrilly, pointing at him.

****

The people around them erupted with laughter as Harry stood in the water, unmoving. There was no sign of magic anywhere on his body.

****

Lavender grabbed Parvati’s arm. “Does he seriously think — why’d he do that?”

****

Harry had clapped his hand on his neck, and, without a second thought, flung himself into the water.

****

“What was wrong with his neck?” Padma asked.

****

“I dunno,” Lavender said, but she quickly regained her previous excitement, jumping up and down and clapping as the lake stilled.

****

It was a long, anxious hour. None of the contestants returned in time, although Cedric was the first to come back. As he emerged from the water, Cho in his arms, the crowd erupted with applause and whistles, the stands shaking under the weight of hundreds of jumping students.

****

Viktor Krum returned second, Hermione Granger with him. Then Fleur returned, too, empty-handed, and the stands were silent with nervous anticipation.

****

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Harry broke the surface, Ron Weasley and a small, blonde girl in his grasp. The screaming around her was deafening, and Parvati covered her ears, leaning closer to Lavender and Padma.

****

“Who’s that little girl?” Lavender asked loudly.

****

“I don’t know!” Parvati yelled. “Maybe it’s the person Fleur had to save?”

****

“Then why did he get her?”

****

Padma shrugged, shaking her head and applauding. “He’s Harry Potter! That’s what he does!”

****

By the time Ludo Bagman was ready to announce the contestants’ marks, the crowd was buzzing with suspense.

****

“Ladies and gentleman,” Bagman said, and the stands went silent once more, “we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows…

****

“Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points.”

****

The crowd applauded hesitantly, and Lavender giggled, hiding her smile in her Parvati’s shoulder.

****

“Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour.” The Hufflepuffs cheered and applauded so loudly that Parvati winced, covering her ears again. “We therefore award him forty-seven points.

****

“Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points.”

****

The Durmstrangs whooped loudly, stomping their feet and clapping.

****

“Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect. He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all the hostages to safety, not merely his own.

****

“Most of the judges,” Bagman gave the headmaster of Durmstrang a sharp look, “feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However… Mr. Potter’s score is forty-five points.”

****

If Parvati had believed the crowd to be loud before, it was nothing compared to the triumphant screams around her. Fred and George Weasley were somehow crowd surfing, shouting things about Harry, and Parvati had to duck as one of their shoes got particularly close to her head. She wrinkled her nose and pushed it away with a gloved hand.

****

“The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June,” continued Bagman, although Parvati scarcely heard him over the noise in the stands. “The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions.”

****

By the time Lavender, Padma, and Parvati were able to break from the crowd, all of the champions had returned to the school. The three of them walked back, shivering without the warmth of being surrounded by excited students.

****

“Now what? The final task isn’t for four months.” Lavender looped her arms through Parvati’s and Padma’s.

****

“I dunno,” Padma said. “I suppose we should start revising for exams.”

****

Lavender scoffed. “Those are months away. I’m not starting yet.”

****

Parvati and Padma exchanged an amused look but stayed silent.

****

Without the excitement of an impending task, the corridors were significantly calmer over the next two weeks. Lavender had begun to put their journals to use, telling Parvati everything she found interesting throughout the day. Parvati made sure to reply to each one.

****

The weekend at Hogsmeade came much faster than she had anticipated, and on Friday night, Parvati rummaged through her clothes, unable to find an outfit she liked.

****

“Ti, have you seen — ?” Lavender started, but she paused, a slow smile breaking across her face. “Are you getting ready for your date?”

****

“It’s not —,” Parvati snapped but cut herself off and sighed, dropping the shirts she’d been holding. “Sorry, Lav. I’m just a little nervous.”

****

“Let me help you, silly! You know I have a better fashion sense than you, anyway.” Lavender dropped to her knees beside Parvati and looked through the clothes she had.

****

It was not long before Lavender was using her as her personal doll, dressing Parvati up and making her strut the length of their dorm like a model. Lavender giggled as each outfit became more absurd than the last, and Parvati ended the fashion show when Lavender combined a pink shirt, brown pants, a Gryffindor scarf, and a green hat.

****

Lavender laughed so hard at the final outfit that she snorted, which sent Parvati into a fit of giggles. By the time Rosalind entered their dorm, Lavender and Parvati were inconsolable, Parvati struggling to remove her scarf and Lavender tugging on the end of it in a way that was not helpful in the slightest.

****

“What did I miss?” Rosalind asked, throwing herself onto her bed.

****

Lavender wiped away a tear. “Parvati was just showing what she’s gonna wear on her date tomorrow.”

****

Rosalind wrinkled her nose, clapping a hand over her mouth to conceal her laughter. “Surely you’re not wearing _that_ , Parvati, are you?”

****

Lavender doubled over with laughter again, and Parvati finally was coherent enough to change into her pyjamas.

****

“I would _never_.” Parvati threw her scarf at Lavender, squealing and running away when she gasped and grabbed a pillow.

****

“Not another pillow fight,” Rosalind groaned, but she couldn’t hide her grin as she reached for her pillow, too.

****

Hermione arrived in their dorm to find the three girls screaming and smacking each other with their pillows. Feathers floated through the air, sticking in Lavender’s hair, and Parvati didn’t have the strength to swing her pillow when she caught sight of Lavender’s curls.

****

By the time they had cleaned up the dorm and climbed into bed, Parvati felt more awake than she had all day. She tossed and turned, never able to get comfortable.

****

“ _Pssst_!”

****

Parvati sat up. “Yeah?” she whispered.

****

“ _Look at your journal_!”

****

She cast _Lumos_ and opened up her journal to find a multitude of questions from Lavender. She grinned and answered each one.

****

When Parvati awoke the next morning, the journal laid beside her head, her quill in her hands. It appeared she had fallen asleep mid-sentence, for the last letter had a line through it that extended half the page.

****

She shot out of bed and pulled on the clothes Lavender had picked out for her, then brushed her hair and raced to the Great Hall. Padma and Lavender were already waiting for her, Lavender bouncing in her seat as Parvati slid onto the bench next to her twin.

****

“Are you excited?” Lavender asked, and Parvati smiled, spooning food onto her plate.

****

“Sure. We’re just gonna walk around Hogsmeade a bit.”

****

“Snog a bit, too,” Lavender said, and Parvati shrugged in a way that neither confirmed nor denied Lavender’s suspicions.

****

“We’ll just have to wait and see.”

****

~

****

Henri was lost in thought as he walked Parvati down to Hogsmeade. He held his arm out for her and allowed her to slip her hand into the crook of his elbow — the first contact they’d had in over two months. After a simple greeting, though, he stared at the ground, quietly listening to Parvati ramble. She’d never been comfortable with silence.

****

“Are you upset with me?” Parvati finally asked as they reached Hogsmeade. “You haven’t said a word.”

****

Henri blinked and, after a pause, sent her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Parvati. I’m just a little distracted.”

****

“With what?”

****

Henri’s cheeks turned red, and he looked away from her. “Maybe we could talk about it later? Somewhere a little more private?”

****

Parvati did _not_ like the sound of that; the last time he had asked for more privacy, he practically pounced on her. Nonetheless, she nodded, sensing his distress.

****

He was thoroughly distracted by the wonders of Hogsmeade. He’d looked around Zonko’s for nearly an hour, showing Parvati each thing he found interesting. His face lit up in a way that vaguely reminded her of a child. Honeydukes was filled with people, but Parvati and Henri squeezed in, both filling a bag with candy and talking to their friends throughout the shop.

****

“Parvati!” Neville called out eagerly, dropping a lollipop in the process. “Oops.”

****

“Hello, Neville,” Parvati greeted, handing him the candy from the floor. “Did you get the flavor of sugar quill you like?”

****

“I did!” He beamed. “Did you know they have toadspurts now?”

****

She resisted the urge to wrinkle her nose, but smiled nonetheless. “I didn’t! I’ll have to try one.”

****

By the time they settled in a table at Three Broomsticks, Henri was in much higher spirits. He grinned at her as they ordered, his nose and cheeks pink from the cold and light brown hair unruly from his hat.

****

“So, Parvati,” Henri said, smirking, “I’ve heard from a few people that you think this is a date.”

****

Parvati’s eyes went wide. “Erm, about that —”

****

“It’s alright,” Henri reassured her. “It helps me a bit, too, to have people think we’re dating.”

****

She sighed with relief. “Thank Merlin. It really just made people seem to like me more, and girls were — wait a minute. This helps you, too? How?”

****

Henri looked down at his Butterbeer, clearing his throat. “I don’t want you to be upset with me. You’ve truly been such a good friend.”

****

“Why would I be upset?” Parvati asked, eyeing him cautiously.

****

“You remember that night at the Yule Ball? When I went to get drinks and then when I came back, I took you outside?”

****

Parvati nodded.

****

“Well, that was because this girl was flirting with my... partner.”

****

Parvati frowned. “So you wanted to make her jealous? What does it matter, anyway, if a _girl_ was flirting with your partner?”

****

Henri gave her a look, fiddling with his collar.

****

Parvati gasped, realization dawning on her. “Your girlfriend likes guys _and_ girls?”

****

Henri blinked at her, shocked, then laughed. Laughed so loud that the tables around them stared, and Parvati kicked him under the table, smiling apologetically at the people nearby.

****

“Parvati, my sweet summer child.” Henri cupped her face with one hand, and she froze. “My boyfriend is gay. Very, very gay.”

****

Parvati’s eyes widened. “ _You’re_ gay?”

****

Henri dropped his hand, shaking his head. “No. I believe the term is bisexual.”

****

“So why did it matter that a girl was hanging on him if he doesn’t even like girls?” Parvati asked, her mind racing with questions.

****

“He wasn’t doing anything to discourage her. She was getting awfully touchy.” Henri’s jaw tightened as he took another drink.

****

“So you cheated on your boyfriend with me?” she hissed, looking around them to ensure no one was listening.

****

“Absolutely not. Louis and I weren’t dating then.”

****

“You don’t make any sense,” Parvati said weakly, reaching for his Butterbeer and finishing the rest.

****

Henri chuckled. “I’ll get you a refill.”

****

When he returned, Parvati quickly downed the second Butterbeer.

****

“I just have a feeling I’m gonna need to be tipsy for this conversation,” she explained.

****

“What, your parents never talked to you about your sexuality?” he asked her, and she wrinkled her nose as though that were the most embarrassing thing in the world.

****

Henri shook his head, pulling the empty glass away from her. “Did you know that people could like both girls and guys? Or any gender other than the opposite?”

****

“No? To be frank, I didn’t know there were sexualities other than straight until about two years ago.” Parvati shrugged off her coat. “My parents are… strict, to put it simply.”

****

“Ah, I see.” Henri sat up a little straighter. “Well, Parvati. Any questions you have — any at all… I can answer them.”

****


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's the tiniest bit of French in this chapter; I don't speak French in the slightest but I did a lot of research (and read SW but that's irrelevant) so hopefully, it's correct. If something's wrong please feel free to correct me!
> 
> CW: underage drinking
> 
> "Mon Dieu" - my god  
> "Merde" - shit  
> "Bien" - good  
> 

Parvati kept the conversation firmly on Henri and his sexuality. She was curious to know how he realized these things and if his parents were accepting.  


“Well, I learned a lot from my boyfriend,” Henri admitted. “I was quite like you, although I was about 11, so my naïvety made more sense. Granted, Louis only knew the basics, but it still seemed to be more than you know now.”  


Parvati glared at him. “It’s not my fault!”  


He laughed. “Yes, I know. It’s just funny to see you get all embarrassed.” He looked down at his drink, and a slow smirk spread across his face. “Do you like girls, Parvati?”  


“What? No!” she said all too quickly. “I snogged you; isn’t that evidence enough that I’m straight?”  


Henri shrugged. “I don’t know, Parvati. That’s for you to decide.”  


“Why were you so distracted earlier?” she asked, not-so-subtly changing the subject.  


He rubbed the back of his neck. “My boyfriend wanted me to make sure that you knew we weren’t dating. I felt, euh... guilty.”  


“Guilty?”  


“He was pretty upset about it,” Henri admitted. “I just don’t like when he’s upset.”  


Parvati nodded, then gestured to the empty glass he held. “Could you fill that? There are parts of this conversation that I _really_ want to forget.”  


“Let me guess, the parts about you?” Henri asked, standing.  


Parvati waved him away, dropping her head into her hands. 

~ 

“You’re _pissed_.” Henry chuckled, throwing Parvati’s arm over his shoulder. “I didn’t know you were such a lightweight, otherwise I wouldn’t have given you that fourth one. Honestly, Parvati, there’s barely any alcohol in Butterbeer. How do you get drunk on Butterbeer?”  


Parvati giggled and fell into his side. “Why’d we leave Three Broomsticks?”  


“That woman — Rose-something? — kicked us out. Said she doesn’t want people to see a student drunk on her property.”  


Parvati slumped into the wall as Henri sat her down.  


“ _Mon Dieu_ , Parvati, you really don’t wanna think about this, huh?”  


“Think about what?” she asked, her words slurred.  


Henri shook his head, pulling the hair elastic off her wrist and tying her hair in a ponytail. “I’ll be right back, okay? I’m gonna see if J. Pippin’s has some Sober-Up Potion.”  


He returned about ten minutes later, empty-handed. “He didn’t believe I was 17, and since I don’t have a way to prove I’m an adult, he wouldn’t sell it to me.” He sighed and sat down next to her, handing her a glass of water. “He gave me this, though. Drink up.”  


Parvati chugged the water, watching through the corner of her eye as Henri chuckled and ran a hand down his face.  


“I don’t know how I’m gonna get you to your dorm. _Merde_ , you’re not even coherent enough to give directions.”  


“Yes I am,” Parvati said, standing. Her legs buckled and she giggled, falling into Henry’s arms. “Head rush.”  


He frowned. “I’ll have to try J. Pippin’s again. There’s no way I can bring you back to that school when you’re this drunk.”  


Parvati just shrugged, reaching into her bag. “Write to Lav.”  


“Pardon?” he asked as she shoved her journal into his chest. “I don’t understand.”  


She heaved an exaggerated sigh, pulling the journal out of his hands and writing on the parchment. She giggled when she noticed her handwriting was at an awkward tilt.  


Henri leant over to watch, his knees brushing against hers, and his eyes widened as Lavender wrote something back.  


**_Where are you???_**  


Parvati handed him the journal. “Write,” she instructed.  


He quickly wrote down a note explaining that Parvati was drunk and they would meet Lavender in the entrance hall, then threw Parvati’s arm over his shoulder and led her to the school.  


Of course, Lavender met them halfway, her coat hastily thrown on and scarf falling off her neck.  


“What have you _done_?” Lavender shrieked, reaching out for Parvati. “I thought you were just going to take her on a nice date — maybe buy her some candy or snog her behind Zonko’s!”  


“This wasn’t _my_ doing,” Henri said, his tone colored with amusement. “She insisted on having four Butterbeers. Who gets this pissed on _four Butterbeers_?”  


Parvati straightened up. “I’m not pissed.”  


Lavender tutted, taking off her scarf and wrapping it around Parvati’s neck. “Honestly, Ti. I thought you knew better than this.”  


“He likes men!” Parvati pointed at Henri, giggling, and Lavender snorted.  


“She’s not even making sense. I’ll take it from here, thank you very much.”  


Henri smirked, although his eyes flickered with concern. “Give her some water. Oh, and can you tell her to come see me at breakfast tomorrow? I wanna make sure she’s okay.”  


Lavender eyed him warily but nodded, pulling Parvati to her side and lugging her up to the school.  


By the time they reached their dorm, which was over a half an hour later, Parvati was significantly more sober. She could walk by herself without hitting anything, although Lavender had to steer her in the right direction a few times.  


“I thought you were supposed to be the responsible one,” Lavender grumbled as she dumped Parvati onto her bed. “Why did you get drunk, anyway?”  


“Didn’t wanna think about it,” Parvati said, pulling her shoes off her feet clumsily.  


“Didn’t wanna think about what?” Lavender asked.  


Parvati shrugged. “Dunno. Can’t remember.”  


Lavender pulled the covers up over Parvati’s shoulders, then sighed, sitting down on the bed. “It’s only quarter past five, but you need to sleep this off.”  


“Goodnight,” she mumbled, nuzzling into her pillow.  


“’Night.” Lavender brushed Parvati’s hair away from her face before tiptoeing out of their dorm, closing the door behind her.

~ 

Parvati groaned, dropping her chin onto the heel of her palm. “This is horrible.”  


Lavender laughed, holding out a glass pumpkin juice to her. “You did this to yourself.” She stood, throwing her bag over her shoulder, before pausing and facing Parvati once more. “And don’t forget to talk to Henri after you’re done eating.”  


Parvati frowned but downed the pumpkin juice and pushed away from the table.  


“You have to eat more,” Padma protested, but Parvati shook her head and squared her shoulders, rearranging her face so she looked perfectly pleasant. The last thing she needed was for people to think she was regretting her “date” with Henri.  


“Hello,” she greeted brightly, sliding onto the bench across from him. They sat at the end of the Ravenclaw table, the other Beauxbatons about five metres from them.  


“How are you?” she asked.  


“ _Bien_.” Henri grinned, searching her face for any signs of a hangover. “Alright. You?”  


“Brilliant.” Her eyes flickered to the boy next to him. “Who’s this?”  


“Louis,” the boy said, his dark eyes surveying her. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”  


Parvati flashed him a smile to mask her surprise. “All good things, I hope.”  


Henri laughed. “Great things, really. He’s wanted to meet you for quite some time.”  


“Well, here I am,” Parvati said, gesturing to herself, “in the flesh. I know — I’m much prettier than he described me. Words don’t do me justice.”  


Louis’s mouth twitched with surprise, and he burst into a belly laugh, shaking his head. “I like you.”  


She joined in, her giggle contrasting drastically with his rich, deep chuckle.  


“How are you feeling?” Henri asked, shifting closer to Louis.  


“Oh, I feel wonderful, Henri.” She crossed her legs, leaning forward on her elbows. “Why do you ask?”  


“Parvati, you couldn’t even stand yesterday.”  


She shrugged, her ears growing warm. “I slept it off.”  


"I would have felt quite guilty if you were hungover.” Henri grinned. “Are there any questions you didn’t get to ask yesterday? We didn’t talk for very long before you were incoherent.”  


Parvati scoffed. “You underestimate me. I’m not as naïve as you think I am.”  


Henri tilted his head, waiting, his eyes boring into hers, and she sighed.  


“I did have one question, though.”  


He gestured for her to continue, palm facing the ceiling. “Ask away.”  


“I don’t understand how it helps you to have everyone think that we’re dating,” she said.  


“That’s not a question,” Henri pointed out, and Parvati rolled her eyes.  


“It is the 90s,” Louis said, “but that doesn’t mean everyone’s very… accepting.”  


“Not to mention,” Henri continued, “we share a dorm with five other guys. If word got out that we were together, well… we don’t think it would end well.” Henri’s eyes searched hers. "Do you understand?”  


“Let me get this straight,” Parvati said, and Henri’s lips twitched at her word choice. “You want to continue pretending to date me so you don’t have to come out?”  


Henri flinched. “Well, when you put it like that —.”  


“No, I completely understand,” Parvati said quickly. “I’ll do it. Erm, I’ll keep doing it.”  


Louis flashed her a smile. “Thank you.”  


Parvati shrugged, scratching the back of her neck. “It’s nothing. Henri’s my friend.”  


Henri beamed and walked around the table to pull her into a hug. “Thank you, Parvati.” He ruffled her hair and stepped away from her.  


“That’s not very boyfriend-like,” Parvati grumbled, running her fingers through the strands he messed up.  


Henri rolled his eyes and pressed his lips to her forehead for a moment. “Good enough?”  


She mumbled a complaint under her breath and shoved him away from her, straightening her skirt. “I should probably return to my seat. It was a pleasure meeting you, Louis.”  


Louis grinned at her. “ _Merci_ , but the pleasure is all mine.”  


Parvati laughed to herself, remembering Henri’s words at the Yule Ball, and spun on her heel, waving goodbye.

~ 

The next weeks flew by as Parvati began to prepare for end-of-the-year exams. Lavender put off revising for as long as she could, but eventually she gave into Parvati’s pleas, joining her in the common room to review each evening. Occasionally Neville or Dean would join them, and some days there was such a large group of students surrounding them that Parvati felt slightly claustrophobic. All the time they spent in the common room revising, though, meant that Parvati and Lavender heard much more gossip, especially from the seventh year girls, who seemed to be constantly arguing.  


Louis had begun to join her and Henri on their days on the grounds, and as the weather warmed, they walked around the lake or sat under one of the trees on campus. The couple enjoyed the privacy of being outside as it allowed them to act naturally rather than keep a cautious distance between them. Parvati soon grew just as close with Louis as she was with Henri.  


“You know, I should properly meet Henri,” Lavender said one day as she and Parvati revised by the fire.  


Parvati’s quill stilled. “Perhaps.”  


“What do you mean, ‘ _perhaps_ ’?” Lavender asked, sitting up and dropping her book. “Don’t you want him to meet your absolute best friend in the world?”  


“I do, of course, but by the time the year ends, he’ll be returning to France. We can’t date forever.”  


Lavender frowned. “So, because you know that this will end _eventually_ , you don’t want me to meet him?”  


“No, it’s not like that,” Parvati said. “It’s just — we’re not all that serious. We’re having fun while we can, and then we’ll go our separate ways.”  


“If you truly like him, then distance shouldn’t matter,” Lavender said wisely, raising her eyebrows.  


Parvati sighed. “This is just a fling, Lav, but if you really want to meet him….”  


“Of course I do! This is so exciting.” Lavender hopped up out of her chair and gathered her books. “Come on, Ti. We’ve revised enough for the night.”  


As Parvati followed Lavender up to their dorm room, the blonde chattered about all of the gossip she had learned this week. Parvati giggled when Lavender revealed that Seamus and a girl from Beauxbaton had been caught snogging after hours.  


“I heard his hand was _up her shirt_ ,” Lavender gasped, dropping onto her bed. 

“Can you believe that?”  


“It sounds like Seamus,” Parvati said, sitting next to Lavender. “He’s never been much of a gentleman.”  


“Maybe she wanted his hand up her shirt,” Lavender said, shrugging and falling back. Her head hit her pillow with a loud thump, and she blew a curl away from her face.  


Parvati wrinkled her nose at Lavender as Rosalind entered the room.  


“You’ll never guess what just happened,” Rosalind said, climbing into bed with Parvati and Lavender. “Lee Jordan just asked me on a date. _Lee Jordan_!”  


Lavender gasped, sitting up. “But he’s a sixth year!”  


“I know!”  


Rosalind’s date with Lee was highly anticipated by the girls in their dorm. Parvati even noticed Hermione, who feigned disinterest, listening in when they debated where he would take her.  


As May ended, Parvati’s “relationship” with Henri became old news, and students grew tense with anticipation for the final task. Padma began to idly wonder aloud what the next obstacle would be, and Lavender crammed in as much time for revision as she could.  


“I told you that we should have started months ago,” Padma said, drawing a line through a mistake in Lavender’s Defense Against the Dark Arts homework.  


“No one _wants_ to revise, Pad,” Parvati said, ignoring the look at Padma shot her at the sound of her childhood nickname. “You can hardly blame her.”  


“Cho’s calling me over,” Padma said, her voice slightly cool, and Lavender frowned at her as she walked away.  


“What’s her deal?”  


Parvati sighed, opening a textbook. “Michael Corner turned her down last week. She asked him on a date.”  


“ _No_ ,” Lavender gasped, spinning to face Parvati.  


Parvati smiled, not looking up. “Yeah. She’s been a bit irritable ever since.”  


The weeks before June 24th dragged along for Parvati and her peers. As end-of-the-year exams approached, the Gryffindor common room turned into a tense, quiet space, and Parvati grew so anxious she had to revise in her dorm. She spent so much time preparing that she lost track of the date, and before she knew it, her calendar read June 18th — four days before Henri’s birthday.  


“What do I get him?” Parvati asked Lavender, grabbing her arm. “I’ve never had to buy a boy a gift before!”  


Lavender giggled and shrugged. “I dunno. Maybe just snog him or something? 

_Oooh_ , or get him one of those Lover’s Quills. Apparently, they’re supposed to — .”  


Parvati wrinkled her nose, shuddering. “No thank you. Not for Henri.”  


Lavender gave her a curious look, and Parvati blanched under her scrutiny.  


“I wish I could get into Hogsmeade,” she said quickly. “I would buy him more candy from Honeydukes.”  


Lavender perked up. “I think you can order it! If you send the owner a letter, maybe…”  


Henri loved the candy, as well as the few items she got him from Zonko’s. In fact, he loved his gift so much that he lifted her off her feet and pulled her into a hug, then kissed her on both cheeks, in the middle of the Great Hall. Parvati’s face burned as Louis chuckled and plucked a sugar quill from the bag in Henri’s hand.  


Two days later, as Parvati sat in the stands with Henri and Louis on her right and Padma and Lavender on her left, she stared in anticipation at the four champions standing before a large maze. It was just before the sun began to set, and the sky was a bright, clear blue, a violent juxtaposition to the ominous maze Lavender’s eyes were scanning warily.  


“Do you think they’ll be okay?” Lavender said, wrenching her eyes away from the maze to meet Parvati’s gaze. “Professor Trelawney said that Harry would die — she saw the grim in his cup last year. And didn’t Dumbledore say people had died in this tournament before?”  


Parvati frowned. “It’ll be alright, Lav. I doubt Dumbledore would let them enter the tournament if it were unsafe.”  


Lavender nodded and turned forward as Bagman began to speak, his wand pointed at his throat.  


“Ladies and gentleman, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each — Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!”  


Parvati and Lavender covered their ears as the stands around them roared with applause. Henri and Louis clapped politely, grinning at Parvati as she leaned into Lavender.  


“In second place, with eighty points, Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!” More applause, along with the low rumble of feet stomping on the wooden floor boards. “And in third place — Ms. Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbaton Academy!”  


Henri and Louis whistled and clapped loudly, and Lavender half-whispered over the applause, “Fleur is so pretty.”  


Parvati nodded her agreement, laughing at the slightly dazed look on Lavender’s face as she stared at Fleur’s striking blue eyes and silvery blonde hair, although Parvati knew the feeling. Her brain went a little fuzzy around Fleur, too; she suspected it was her Veela blood.  


“So… on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!” said Bagman, and Parvati tensed, craning her neck to watch the two boys enter the maze. “Three — two — one —- .” Bagman blew a whistle, and Harry and Cedric darted into the maze without glancing at each other.  


“We can’t see them,” Padma grumbled, her brows furrowing. “How are we gonna know what they’re doing?”  


Henri frowned. “I suppose we’ll just have to wait.”  


And wait they did. The maze was eerily quiet, but the students scrutinizing it weren’t, debating loudly who would win and who would make it out uninjured.  


“I bet _Potter_ gets hurt within the first few minutes and sends up the red sparks,” said Malfoy from behind Parvati in a nasally voice, and Henri groaned, throwing Malfoy two fingers.  


“What was that for?” Parvati asked, giggling.  


“That _child_ is extremely annoying,” Henri said, rolling his eyes. “We had to sit near him at the Yule Ball. It was torture.”  


Padma nodded her agreement. “He never shuts up. He always tries to talk to me; he thinks I hate Harry, too, since I’m not a Gryffindor.”  


A shrill scream broke through the silence of the maze, and the stands grew quiet, staring at the tall hedges in nervous anticipation. When no red sparks appeared in the sky and no other sounds pierced the air, the students slowly began to murmur to each other, their volume increasing with each second of silence from the maze.  


It was another twenty minutes before pained, masculine shouts echoed from the maze. Parvati froze as Lavender jumped and grabbed her arm, hissing, “That was Cedric!”  


The silence that followed was deafening. Henri glanced nervously between the maze and Parvati’s face, surveying her reaction to the pain of her fellow Hogwarts student.  


Red sparks lit up the darkness, and Lavender gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Within a minute, Professor McGonagall returned with Viktor Krum in tow, his steps groggy and slow.  


“He’s been stunned,” Padma said, although she frowned. “Something else, too. He doesn’t seem quite lucid.”  


Moments later, another professor returned with Fleur, whose shoulders were squared with fierce determination as she walked on slightly shaky legs. She shook her head as though to clear her thoughts, her blonde hair muddy and filled with twigs.  


“It looks like she’s been stunned, too,” Padma said, “although it seems like that was the only thing she’d had done to her. I wonder….” She stared at Viktor, her chin in her hand and brows furrowed.  


“Does she always do this?” Henri asked, and Lavender nodded.  


“She likes to understand what’s happening. She works it out for herself, most of the time.”  


Henri grinned and tugged on the end of Parvati’s braid. “Quite the opposite of Parvati. She gets drunk so she _doesn’t_ have to understand stuff.”  


Parvati huffed and elbowed his side, refocusing on the maze.  


Another anxious hour. The professors grew uneasy, pacing back and forth as they waited for Harry and Cedric to return. The maze was dead silent, and the stands buzzed with hushed conversations.  


Finally, a loud _swoosh_ and a bright light flashed as Harry and Cedric landed on the ground, and the professors and headmasters rushed to their side.  


“It was a portkey?” Padma gasped, her eyes going wide, and a shriek sounded through the air, followed by another, then hundreds more.  


The students in the stands rushed to the ground where a crowd had gathered, and Parvati’s stomach lurched with fear as Lavender tugged her toward the front.  


“He’s dead!” someone shouted, and the words echoed through the crowd in a wave. “Diggory is dead!”  


Parvati’s head spun as she stood on her tiptoes, trying to see Harry. He was mumbling something, shaking his head as he clung to Cedric’s limp body. They were both covered in blood, _so much blood_ , Cedric a stark white, his eyes wide and unseeing, and Parvati’s legs grew weak. She fell against Henri, who was standing behind her, and he held her up, plastering her back against his chest and torso.  


He leant down to ask, “What happened?”  


“Cedric’s dead,” Parvati answered flatly, blackness seeping in the edges of her vision. “He’s dead.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Posting this chapter early because I'm super far ahead :)
> 
> Thank you to Erica and Livi for being the world's best editors/sounding boards/advice givers/etc. I adore both of you.
> 
> **CW: death, slight anxiety attack**
> 
> There's more French in this chapter! Once again, I don't speak French, so feel free to correct me if I got anything wrong :)
> 
> "Je suis navré" - I'm sorry (this apology is used to express grief, sympathy, regret, etc.)  
> "Je suis désolé" - I'm sorry (standard apology)  
> "Mon coeur" - my heart (it's a term of endearment)  
> "Je t’aime" - I love you  
> "Je t’aime aussi" - I love you too

“Did you eat today?” Henri asked, panic seeping into his voice. 

Parvati shook her head slowly. “I wasn’t hungry. My exams….” 

“When’s the last time you drank some water?” He gripped her waist to hold her up, his warm hands burning her skin through the fabric, and it was too much. She wanted to wrench herself away from him and his suffocating warmth, away from the chaos surrounding them. 

“Erm… this morning?” she asked breathlessly, and he cursed under his breath, his hands dropping from her sides. 

“We need to get back to the school,” he said, and Parvati grabbed Lavender’s hand as Henri pulled her away from the crowd. Faces swam around her, and Henri murmured something about needing a firewhisky. 

Lavender stared at her with wide eyes. “Did you see him? Did you see Cedric?” 

Parvati nodded, and the image of his body flashed in her mind. Without warning, her stomach churned, and she gasped and stopped walking, remembering the few times she’d talked to Cedric. He’d helped her with Herbology, her weakest subject, once, and listened to her talk about Divination after she’d had a particularly bad day. She’d barely known him, really, but they liked the same corner of the library, and she remembered the way his face lit up when he saw Cho and how he grinned when his annoying friends came to check up on him while he revised and how _alive_ he looked a mere day ago. 

“I think she’s gonna faint,” Henri said, his voice muffled as though Parvati were underwater. “She hasn’t eaten today and she just saw a… body.” 

Lavender said something that Parvati couldn’t hear, and Parvati shook her head to clear her thoughts as she straightened up. 

Henri frowned. “Maybe she’s in shock? How did she sleep last night?” 

Lavender stilled. “She’s barely slept this week. She was really stressed out about exams…” 

Henri rubbed his forehead, turning to Louis. “L, could you carry her? She’s walking so slowly.” 

Parvati eyed Louis, holding up a hand in warning as he stepped closer to her. He was tall and stocky, which was most likely why Henri asked him to carry her, but Parvati protested, “I can walk, thank you very much.” The words didn’t quite sound right, and she frowned. 

Henri fixed her with a concerned stare as Louis stepped back. “Parvati. Do I have to monitor your sleeping and eating now?” 

She glared at him and took a few uncertain steps forward, leading them toward the castle. 

Lavender pursed her lips. “She’s done this a few times before. She’s normally just woozy for a few minutes and it goes away as she eats… Although, it’s been at least 24 hours since she last ate, and she’s never done very well with blood, and she saw Cedric…” 

Fear flickered across Henri’s face, but it was swallowed by concern just as quickly as it arrived. He walked close to her side, his arm brushing hers, and Louis squeezed Henri’s hand surreptitiously as they entered the castle. 

She hoped she’d be able to think now that she wasn’t surrounded by a large, suffocating crowd of people. Parvati tried to analyze Henri’s reaction, why he was more focused on her than the horror they all must have felt, but her mind was a perplexing, murky mess, and she felt closer to falling asleep than forming a coherent thought. When Henri reached out to put a steadying arm around her waist, she batted his hand away and straightened her spine, ignoring the tremor in her hands. 

Lavender let them into the common room, Padma squeezing Parvati’s hand as they stepped through the hole. Lavender and Padma murmured something about the kitchens, then left Parvati alone with Henri and Louis. 

“How’re you feeling, Parvati?” Louis asked, his full lips a flat line as Parvati dropped onto the couch. He sat on the floor beside her, his eyes scanning her face. 

She shrugged. “Okay. A little dizzy.” 

Henri leaned back in the seat across from her, letting out a shaky breath, and Louis’s concerned gaze flickered to his boyfriend for a moment. 

“ _Je suis navré_ ,” Louis murmured to Parvati. “I’m sorry. He’s worried about you. He doesn’t think it’s healthy that you’re this... affected.” 

Parvati drew her eyebrows together. “I knew Cedric,” she murmured, looking down at her lap. “Not very well, obviously…” Her brain was still in confusing loops, and she tugged at a train of thought, willing the correct words to spill from her mouth. “But he was kind, and he helped me with homework a few times, and I just watched Harry hug his body and cry. I doubt anyone’s ever seen Harry cry.” 

Henri sighed, the harsh line between his eyebrow softening. “You should have eaten today. You wouldn’t be this light-headed if you’d just eaten — or slept.” 

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” Her eyes slid closed as her body sunk into the familiar cushions. “What is it -- _je suis désolé_?” 

“It's okay, Parvati,” Henri said. “Your accent is horrible, though.” His voice sounded flat, something Louis must have recognized because his warmth left Parvati’s side. She opened her eyes to watch as he sat down next to Henri, squeezing his knee in a way that would have appeared brotherly to anyone who didn’t know them. 

“He was only seventeen,” Henri said, his gaze on Louis’s hands as he wound their fingers together. “Seventeen.” 

“ _Mon coeur_ ,” Louis murmured, making a sympathetic noise in the back of his throat, and opened his arms for Henri to lean into. Henri laid his cheek on Louis’s shoulder, looking up into his eyes, and said something in French, too low for Parvati to hear. 

“ _Je t’aime_ ,” Louis said, pressing his lips briefly to Henri’s forehead. 

“ _Je t’aime aussi_.” Henri’s eyes closed. 

Parvati looked away when she understood what he’d said, feeling as though she were invading upon a private moment. 

Lavender and Padma returned soon after, and Parvati wished she’d told Lavender of the nature of her relationship as she watched Henri pull away from Louis, his eyes vacant. 

She ate as much as she felt she could stomach, Padma ensuring she got an item from each food group. Lavender absently chewed on a banana, staring off at nothing, and Parvati grew uneasy with her silence. Her ears itched for Lavender’s voice, her wordlessness an unwelcome reminder of how horrible the events of the third task had been. 

“Hey,” someone greeted from behind the couch, and Parvati turned to see Neville standing there awkwardly, his face pale. 

“Hey, Neville,” she said scooting over so there was room between her and Lavender. “Wanna sit?” 

He plopped down on the couch, watching other Gryffindors walk to their dorms, murmuring to each other. “Today was….” He trailed off, shaking his head slowly. 

“Yeah.” Parvati frowned as Henri made a bad move, and Louis’s knight smashed his chess piece. “You okay?” 

Neville nodded. “Yeah. You?” 

“I’m alright.” She held out a plate to him. “Do you want a few biscuits? I’m full.” 

Neville gave her a hesitant smile and took the plate, eating the biscuits in silence until he was too tired to stay awake. He bid them goodnight, climbing the steps to his dorm. 

After some coaxing, Parvati let Padma lead her to the hospital wing in the hopes for some Dreamless Sleep potion. Madam Pompfrey was so occupied she gave it to them after a short half-minute of interrogation, and Parvati walked much quicker back to the common room, eager to escape reality for one night. 

Henri and Louis were gone when they returned to the common room, and Lavender was in bed, her hangings drawn. Parvati frowned but climbed into her bed, reckoning Lavender needed space, although she wanted nothing more than to tuck herself into Lavender’s side. If she were in her right mind, she would have panicked, psychoanalyzing herself until she was more confused than she was at the start. Thankfully, because of the dreamless sleep potion, there was no time to think. She fell asleep imagining the warmth of Lavender’s arms wrapped around her. ~ 

Their final week at Hogwarts was eerily quiet and grim. Everyone knew far too little about what truly happened during the third task, and Dumbledore had instructed them to not question Harry Potter about the Triwizard Tournament under any circumstances. Ferocious rumors swirled through the hallways, many of them involving Harry murdering Cedric. Parvati, who was usually one for gossip, grew quite irritated with these rumors. 

“I mean, we know Harry’s not completely… well, he’s been through a lot. But honestly, _Harry Potter_? A _murderer_?” 

Lavender nodded her agreement. “Something else happened. Maybe one of those blast-ended skrewts got him — I heard from Vicky Frobisher that they were one of the obstacles in the maze.” 

Padma arched a brow, looking up from her book. “Did you read Rita Skeeter’s article on him? She said he was insane — deranged, even. Mum and Dad think we ought to believe her.” She looked back down at her book. “ _I_ don’t think Harry did it, but…” 

Parvati propped her chin on her hand thoughtfully, watching Lavender draw. She was a natural born artist, her vibrant, creative mind reflecting in her work. Lavender captured people’s souls and put them on paper, their hopes and dreams and characters and personalities evident with each line created by her quill. 

Lavender pulled the parchment away from Parvati’s searching gaze, flicking her friend’s arm and earning an indignant yelp from Parvati. She never liked when people watched her draw, something Parvati knew but chose to ignore. She found Lavender’s passionate expressions and the way she stuck the tip of her tongue out when she concentrated too endearing to be ignored. 

Lavender wordlessly stole Parvati’s hair elastic from her wrist and began to braid her hair. “We’ll find out what happened soon enough. Someone will tell us; we deserve to know how he died.” 

And Lavender was right. Dumbledore’s end of the year speech was much more than they had dared to expect, but Parvati left Hogwarts with more unanswered questions than she’d had after the third task. 

“There is much that I would like to say to you all tonight,” Dumbledore said during the Leaving Feast, “but I must first acknowledge the loss of a very fine person, who should be sitting here,” he gestured toward the Hufflepuff table, “enjoying our feast with us. I would like you all, please, to stand, and raise your glasses, to Cedric Diggory.” Everyone in the room stood, benches scraping across the stone floor. They raised their glasses, and, in one solemn chorus, said, “Cedric Diggory.” 

“Cedric was a person who exemplified many of the qualities that distinguish Hufflepuff house,” Dumbledore continued. “He was a good and loyal friend, a hard worker, he valued fair play. His death has affected you all, whether you knew him well or not. I think that you have the right, therefore, to know exactly how it came about. 

“Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort.” 

Faint gasps and urgent whispers erupted throughout the Great Hall, and Parvati met Padma’s wide eyes, frozen in shock. In all of their speculation, no one had mentioned You-Know-Who once. 

“The Ministry of Magic,” Dumbledore said, “does not wish me to tell you this. It is possible that some of your parents will be horrified that I have done so — either because they will not believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, or because they think I should not tell you so, young as you are. It is my belief, however, that the truth is generally preferable to lies, and that any attempt to pretend that Cedric died as a result of an accident, or some sort of blunder of his own, is an insult to his memory.” Padma looked scandalized, as though she agreed with the parents who wouldn’t wish Dumbledore to tell their children how Cedric had died. Silently, Parvati wondered if her parents would be angry, although she already knew the answer. They would be livid. 

They went on to toast Harry Potter, who had once again escaped Voldemort. He looked uncomfortable under the stares of all of the students in the Great Hall, his eyes downcast until he glanced over at the Slytherin table, where many people had stayed stubbornly in their seats. 

Parvati didn’t have the energy to listen to the rest of Dumbledore’s speech. She stared at the table in front of her, not wanting to return home, when Henri slid into the seat next to her. 

“Hi, Parvati,” he said, leaning into her side for a brief second. 

“Hi.” She turned to look up at him, the weight of the moment hitting her: this could be the last time she would see him, possibly forever. 

“Don’t give me that look,” he groaned, pulling her into his embrace, and she closed her eyes against the stinging tears threatening to spill down her face. “You’ll write to me all the time, right?” 

“Of course,” she said thickly. “And you’ll answer my owls?” 

“Every single one,” he promised. “I’m gonna miss you.” 

“Oh, stop that,” she protested, slapping his chest and pulling away from him. “Don’t make me cry.” She glanced behind him, where someone else was approaching. “Not you, too!” 

Louis flashed her a rare smile, pulling her out of her seat and into a hug. “You keep out of trouble, _oui_?” 

“Can I write to you, too?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his torso. 

“Of course. I was thinking of getting a flat closer to Henri, so that’ll be easier on your owl.” 

Parvati gasped and stepped out of his embrace, staring up at him with wide eyes. “You’re moving closer to him?” 

Henri covered his mouth with one hand to conceal his smile, propping his elbow on the table. “Yup. He found one that’s just a few kilometers from my family’s flat.” 

She felt the sting of tears in the back of her eyes again. “You guys… I’m gonna miss you.” 

Henri softened. “Don’t worry, Parvati. I’ll still annoy you all the time, it’ll just have to be in the form of letters. If you’d like, I can send you some howlers so you can hear my voice.” 

Louis rolled his eyes and pushed his boyfriend to the side to make room between him and Parvati. “I’ll make sure he doesn’t send you any howlers.” 

Parvati smiled. “Thanks, Louis.” 

“How can you speak English so well?” Lavender asked, poking her head over Parvati’s shoulder. 

Henri blinked in shock of Lavender’s sudden question, then grinned. “My mom’s from the UK; she’s been speaking English to me my whole life, and I’ve been helping Louis with his English since first year. Obviously, we can’t get rid of the accent, but I’m fluent, and Louis is nearly fluent.” 

“That’s really cool,” Lavender said, her voice slightly awed. “Will you teach Parvati French so that she can teach me?” 

Henri laughed. “I could try, but I’ve heard French is a very difficult language to learn.” 

Lavender shrugged, patting Parvati’s head. “Ti could do it. She’s smart.” 

Louis wrapped an arm around Parvati, who was staring down at her lap. “It’ll be alright, Parvati.” 

“I’m sorry about Cedric, darling,” Henri murmured, grabbing her hand. She furrowed her brow at the pet name, but he just shrugged and winked in response, then leaned in closer to say, “We’re madly in love, remember?” 

She rolled her eyes, flicking Henri’s arm. “Who knows when I’ll see you again,” Parvati said, ducking into Louis’s embrace. 

“We still have tonight,” Lavender said, a grin evident in her voice. 

“We still have tonight,” Henri agreed, slipping his hand out of Parvati’s grasp and standing. “Come on, Parvati.” 

Parvati stood, Louis by her side, who said, “Are you coming, Lavender and Padma?” 

Padma looked up for the first time since Dumbledore’s speech had ended and glanced at her sister. “Okay.” 

Lavender hopped up out of her seat, not nearly as enthusiastically as usual, but Parvati was glad to see her excited nonetheless. 

It had been a very solemn week, and they were due for a night of fun, even if it was just listening to Henri’s stories and playing wizard’s chess. But, as Parvati fell asleep, she had a nagging feeling that their lives wouldn’t be the same once they returned home. 

She hoped against all hope that the feeling was wrong. ~ 

“Bye, Parvati,” Henri murmured, pulling her into a hug. Her feet lifted off the ground, and she gasped in surprise, tears flowing down her cheeks. She hadn’t known Henri had the strength to pick her up, although she supposed anyone looked much smaller than they were next to Louis. 

“I’m gonna miss you,” she grumbled as he set her down, and she was quickly enveloped by Louis’s solid arms. 

“I hope you’re better at writing than Henri is,” Louis said, a warm chuckle vibrating through his chest. “Although, I suspect he’ll miraculously get better at writing letters this summer.” 

Henri rolled his eyes. “You aren’t exactly loquacious in your letters, either.” 

Louis frowned, releasing Parvati and pushing a strand of her dark hair away from her face. “I don’t know what that word means.” 

“I know.” Henri flashed him a smug grin and paused, looking at Lavender for a moment. “Oh, come here, you.” 

Lavender stared at him with wide, shocked eyes before stepping into his open arms and allowing him to pull her into a hug. When he released her, she moved toward Louis, who embraced her, too. 

“The carriage is going to leave any second,” Henri said, pulling Padma into a tight hug and passing her off to Louis. “Padma, I suspect you can take care of your sister.” 

Padma nodded, looping her arm through Parvati’s. “She’s a handful, but I’ve done it for fifteen years already.” 

Henri ruffled Lavender’s hair, who squeaked indignantly and hurriedly fixed her curls, patted Padma’s head, and kissed Parvati on each cheek. Louis tugged on a strand of Parvati’s hair and murmured his goodbyes, and then they were gone, crossing the lawn to the Beauxbaton carriage. 

“You’ll write this summer?” Lavender asked, grabbing Parvati and Padma’s hands. 

“Every week,” Padma promised. 

“We still have the train ride, Lav. Don’t get too sentimental now,” Parvati teased, tugging her toward the castle. “Come on, let’s get our trunks.” 

It was an oddly quiet ride to King’s Cross. Each girl was lost in thought, tense with worry of what was to come, although Lavender was particularly excited to see her see her parents and dog. 

The sinking feeling in Parvati’s stomach returned as they gathered up their things and stepped off the train, especially when she caught sight of her parents. They stood tall, their shoulders squared and eyes anxious as they waited for their daughters to approach them. 

“Merlin,” Padma murmured, stepping closer to Parvati. “I doubt we’ll be having a fun break this year.” 

Silently, Parvati agreed.


End file.
